FileMaker Pro Barcode Tutorial
 The FileMaker Pro Barcode Tutorial describes
how to implement cross-platform barcode generation in FileMaker forms and reports
without installing fonts, plug-ins or components. This tutorial
uses the IDAutomation Dynamic Barcode Generator Service, which supports all popular linear barcode types
as well as 2D symbols such as PDF417, MaxiCode, Data Matrix, QR Code and more.
This tutorial describes just one of several methods of
creating barcodes in FileMaker.
- Download the
example database
to help understand
this tutorial.
-
Purchase a subscription for the Dynamic Barcode Generator Service or use the
fully-functional demo. 2D barcode types such as PDF417, DataMatrix
and MaxiCode are available in the purchased version only.
- In Layout Mode, open the FileMaker form or report where the
barcode is needed.
- Choose Insert - Web Viewer.
- In the Web Viewer setup screen, deselect the Allow Interaction
checkmark at the bottom.
- Delete all text in the Web Address field and choose the
Specify button.
- Add in the web address of
the Dynamic Barcode Generator Service, surrounded by double quotes and ending
with an ampersand character. When using the free linear version,
the address to use is:
"http://www.bcgen.com/demo/linear-dbgs.aspx?D="&
- Place the cursor after the ampersand character and select the
field to encode in the barcode and choose OK twice to exit the web
viewer setup.
- Size the web viewer so that it is large enough to contain the entire
barcode, with an appropriate amount of white space surrounding the
symbol.
- Choose Browse Mode and view the report or form to verify that the
barcode appears correctly. The barcodes may take some time to appear
when creating large reports because they are generated independently
via the internet.
- Print and scan the barcode to verify that the correct data is
encoded. If a scanner is needed to verify barcodes, consider the
IDAutomation USB Barcode Scanner.
2D Barcode FileMaker Implementation
In the demo version of the Dynamic
Barcode Generator Service the text of "DEMO" along with a CR and
LF function will be automatically encoded in the barcode. Therefore, if symbol size
is being evaluated, only the purchased version should be used. 2D barcodes may be created from the demo
version of the
Dynamic Barcode Generator Service by entering the web addresses below into the
Web Viewer as described in the tutorial:
http://www.bcgen.com/demo/IDAutomationStreamingDataMatrix.aspx?D=
http://www.bcgen.com/demo/IDAutomationMaxicodeImage.aspx?D=
http://www.bcgen.com/demo/IDAutomationStreamingPDF417.aspx?D=
http://www.bcgen.com/demo/IDAutomationStreamingAztec.aspx?D=
http://www.bcgen.com/demo/IDAutomationStreamingQRCode.aspx?D=
For example, a DataMatrix barcode is easily created in FileMaker using the
web address:
"http://www.bcgen.com/demo/IDAutomationStreamingDataMatrix.aspx?D="&
IDAutomation.com Barcode Database Example::Employee ID
Combine Multiple Fields Into a Barcode
Using the IDAutomation
Dynamic Barcode
Generator Service, multiple fields may be easily combined, appended
or delimited within a single barcode symbol by using the ApplyTilde feature. The
following example encodes (Employee ID, the tab function, First Name, the return
function, Last Name and the text of FileMaker DataMatrix Barcode) into a
DataMatrix symbol.
"http://www.bcgen.com/demo/IDAutomationStreamingDataMatrix.aspx?D="&
IDAutomation.com Barcode Database Example::Employee ID & "~d009" & IDAutomation.com
Barcode Database Example::First Name & "~d013" & IDAutomation.com Barcode
Database Example::Last Name & "FileMaker DataMatrix Barcode"
* Versions prior to 2009 used "Barcode=" in place of "D=" when
entering Data To Encode.
Related Information
If assistance is needed, please
contact IDAutomation.
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